


News at Breakfast

by Sharpiefan



Category: Show the Colours (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 06:52:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3968587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharpiefan/pseuds/Sharpiefan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation over breakfast in the Saltash household, 1st April 1809</p>
            </blockquote>





	News at Breakfast

**Author's Note:**

> A very short piece looking at how news of Vickery's promotion was received at home. I'm not _entirely_ happy with the way I’ve written Lady Saltash; I'm still trying to figure her out.

  
**Title:** News at Breakfast  
**Fandom/Canon:** Show the Colours  
**Author:** [](http://sharpiefan.dreamwidth.org/profile)[](http://sharpiefan.dreamwidth.org/)**sharpiefan**  
**Word count:** 730  
**Rating:** U  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Pairing/Characters:** Lord Saltash, Lady Saltash, Robert and Emma Vickery  
**Disclaimer:** None! 'Tis all my own work and my own characters.  
**Author's Note:** A very short piece looking at how news of Vickery's promotion was received at home. I'm not _entirely_ happy with the way I’ve written Lady Saltash; I'm still trying to figure her out.  
**Summary:** A conversation over breakfast in the Saltash household, 1st April 1809  


"Ah!"

The pleased exclamation from his Lordship the Viscount Saltash made that worthy's wife and daughter look up from their breakfasts; Saltash very rarely commented over anything in the paper in that manner.

Emma paused in buttering her roll, but it seemed that no explanation would be forthcoming. "Papa, what is it?"

The only response Lord Saltash gave was to fold his paper open and pass it across, an act which made Emma drop her butter-knife with a slight clatter onto her plate so that she could take it.

"Left-hand page, halfway down the second column," his Lordship said, with a satisfied look.

Emma scanned the page obediently, wondering what it was that had caught her father's eye in such a way. "Oh, Mama! Listen to this: _5th Battalion, 60th Royal American Rifles: Lieutenant John Vickery to be promoted Captain, vice Galiffe, promoted._ "

"Oh, John!" Lady Saltash exclaimed in tones of satisfied pride.

"I had it from a friend at Horseguards that his Captaincy dates from Christmas," Lord Saltash said, pleased at the reaction of his womenfolk to the news.

Emma had not returned the paper, but was scanning the rest of the page, then looked toward the head of the table with a slightly confused expression. "Papa... All the others say '… to be Major by purchase, vice so-and-so...' But John's does not. What does that mean?"

Saltash grinned, bringing a boyish look to his face. "It means that John has been promoted Captain without purchase. I would certainly have put up the purchase price if he had requested it, however it seems he wishes to advance on his own merits."

"Well, good for him, if I may say so, sir," put in Robert, the Viscount's eldest son, who had so far listened to the conversation with interest but had not thought to say anything till now.

"Oh, _John_!" Lady Saltash said again, a slight wail to her voice this time. "As if it were not bad enough he is away at the war, to put himself in danger merely for a promotion...!" She fumbled for her handkerchief.

"I daresay that was not the case at all," Saltash said, taking the paper back. "After all, from what I could ascertain in January, his regiment went back to Lisbon. I daresay he is quite safe in quarters, enjoying himself at all the routs and parties with which the people there are no doubt entertaining themselves and their British guests."

"But why does he have to be away at all?" Lady Saltash said, seeming to be on her way to working up into a fit of nerves or something.

"Because he did not want to go into the Church or to take silk, mama – he would not be happy to do that, you know he would not," Emma said. "And he must be a good officer, to have been promoted thus. He will not put himself into any danger, I am sure of it. I shall write to him tomorrow, after church – he will want to know that we have learned of his advancement, I am sure."

"It is very good of you to write so often to him, Emma," Lady Saltash said with a smile. "But if only he had stayed home, you would not need to do so."

"Mama, John would be no more happy to remain at home and let others serve King and country than I would be to hazard life and limb on the bounding main, or some such nonsense," Robert said briskly.

His words merely brought a slight wail to Her Ladyship's lips and a pointed look to Emma's face as she got up to search out her mother's vinaigrette. "You heard what Papa said. I am sure he is making love to some dark-eyed Portuguese beauty at this very minute," she said. "He would not like to think that we are not proud of him for what he is doing, and of this promotion. After all, how many officers can boast of being promoted on merit alone, even once?"

"Then it is settled, Emma shall write to him and convey our congratulations at his good fortune, and we shall hear no more nonsense about it," his Lordship said decidedly, folding the paper to lay it aside. "Robert, if you would be so kind as to pass the kippers."


End file.
